Since 2022, Kobayashi has served as team principal of Toyota in WEC, winning three consecutive World Manufacturers' Championship titles from 2022 to 2024.

He became champion of the FIA World Endurance Championship alongside co-drivers Mike Conway and José María López in the 2019–20 season and in 2021, where he also won the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans.

[citation needed] Kobayashi is the third FIA world champion from Japan after Toshi Arai and Kazuki Nakajima, and became the third Asian-born driver after countrymen Aguri Suzuki and Takuma Satō to score a Formula One podium finish at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix.

During the following seven years, Kobayashi took four karting titles, winning the Toyota SL All Japan Tournament Cadet Class series twice.

[citation needed] In 2006, Kobayashi entered the Formula 3 Euro Series with ASM Formule 3 alongside Paul di Resta, Giedo van der Garde and Sebastian Vettel.

[citation needed] At the beginning of 2007, Kobayashi, along with Kōhei Hirate, was named as one of the Toyota Formula One team's test drivers.

After a strong start from pole in the sprint race at the Circuit de Catalunya, Kobayashi took the chequered flag in first place.

Another successful GP2 Asia campaign followed over the winter months of 2008 and 2009, with Kobayashi winning two races en route to the championship, with a round to spare.

[4] Kobayashi made his Formula One debut at the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix, following a complication to Glock's injury that was initially not detected.

Early in the race, while running in sixth place, he held off for several laps a challenge by Jenson Button, who needed to finish well to clinch the world championship.

[7] Kobayashi qualified 12th and finished sixth, scoring his first World Championship points, in the inaugural day-night race in Abu Dhabi.

[9] Following Toyota's withdrawal, Kobayashi faced an uncertain future, but he was mentioned in lists of probable drivers for the series' new teams for 2010.

In China, Kobayashi was involved in a three-way collision with Buemi and Vitantonio Liuzzi on the first lap, making him the only driver to retire from the first four races.

In Turkey, he won his first points of the season, coming home tenth after being promoted a place due to Vettel's retirement after a collision with teammate Webber and Petrov's puncture.

[12] Kobayashi gained a reputation during the season as a highly skilled overtaker, being able to outbrake drivers several car lengths in front of him.

After the restart, the track began to dry out, and after changing to intermediate tyres and finally slicks, Kobayashi dropped several places, including having a spin whilst lapping a backmarker and being rear-ended by Nick Heidfeld.

[19] Kobayashi took his maiden podium in Formula One with third place at the Japanese Grand Prix, after lasting through race-long pressure from Jenson Button.

[25][26] In the 81st edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2013, Kobayashi and the AF Corse team scored fifth place in the GTE-Pro class along with his co-drivers Olivier Beretta and Toni Vilander, their Ferrari 458 GT covered a total of 312 laps in the Circuit de la Sarthe.

The race was run in very difficult weather conditions and several serious accidents bringing out a record of twelve safety car caution periods.

However, later in the season Caterham were demoted to 11th due to Jules Bianchi achieving Marussia's first points finish in the Monaco Grand Prix.

[31] On 20 August 2014, it was announced that German driver André Lotterer would replace Kobayashi for the Belgian Grand Prix race weekend.

[32] He returned to racing action at the Italian Grand Prix after Lotterer declined a further offer due to the seat being taken in practice by Roberto Merhi, who was attempting to qualify for an FIA Super Licence.

[33] Kobayashi declared his unhappiness at the situation, with the team's driver plans changing at short notice and his own future uncertain.

Kobayashi made full season debut in 2018, as he raced with Team SARD alongside former F1 driver and the series champion Heiki Kovalainen.

[41] Kobayashi won the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans from pole after numerous attempts, alongside Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez.

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